The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports
that 11.9% of men ages 18 years and older rate their health as fair or
poor. Many of the leading causes of poor or failing health among men may
be readily preventable, as well as successfully treatable. In this
article, we present the latest studies suggesting practicable
take-action preventative nutritional approaches that may help to improve
the quality, and quite possibly extend the quantity, of life among our
male readers.

Following the tenets of the anti-aging lifestyle may be a
predominant factor in prolonging how long--and well--you live. Lars
Wilhelmsen and colleagues from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
analyzed data from The 1913 Men epidemiological study, which began in
1963, when one-third of all the 50-year-old men residing in Gothenburg
had a cardiovascular check-up. Every 10 years since, a new group of
50-year-olds has been called in, and those who were already taking part
in the study have been given another check-up. The men born in 1913 were
examined when they were 50, 54, 60, 67, 75, and 80 years of age. Of the
855 men who took part in the study from the start, 111 (13%) were still
alive at age 90. The researchers found the following factors enabled the
greatest chances of living to age 90:

* do not smoke

* consume moderate amounts of coffee.

* at a good socioeconomic status at the age of 50 (measured in
terms of housing costs)

* engaged in good physical working capacity at the age of 54

* low cholesterol at age 50

As well, the team reports, "Variables of greatest importance
at higher ages were low blood pressure and measures related to good
cardiorespiratory function," leading them to conclude: "Low
levels of cardiovascular risk factors, high socio-economic status and
good functional capacity, irrespective of parents' survival,
characterize men destined to reach the age of 90."

Coffee contains a number of beneficial compounds that act as
antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and regulate insulin, and previous
studies have associated coffee with a lower risk of Parkinson's
disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstone disease, and liver cancer or
cirrhosis. Lorelei Mucci and colleagues from Harvard School of Public
Health (US) examined the association between coffee consumption and the
risk of prostate cancer, particularly the risk for aggressive prostate
cancer among 47,911 US men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study
who reported their coffee consumption every four years from 1986 to
2008. During the study period, 5035 cases of prostate cancer were
reported, including 642 fatal or metastatic cases. The researchers found
that men who consumed the most coffee (six or more cups daily) had
nearly a 20% lower risk of developing any form of prostate cancer.
Importantly, the inverse association with coffee was even stronger for
aggressive prostate cancer. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60%
lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer. Noting that the
reduction in risk was seen whether the men drank decaffeinated or
regular coffee, and does not appear to be due to caffeine, the team
observed that drinking one to three cups of coffee per day was
associated with a 30% lower risk of lethal prostate cancer. They
conclude: "We observed a strong inverse association between coffee
consumption and risk of lethal prostate cancer. The association appears
to be related to non-caffeine components of coffee."

Previously, some studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to an
increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Qi Sun and colleagues from
Harvard School of Public Health (US) evaluated the associations between
both dietary and supplemental vitamin D and cardiovascular disease risk.
The team assessed data collected on 74,272 women enrolled in the
Nurses' Health Study and 44,592 men enrolled in the Health
Professionals Follow-Up Study, none of whom had cardiovascular disease
at the start of the study. At the end of the study, 9886 cases of
coronary heart disease and stroke were documented. The researchers found
a 16% reduction in heart disease among men who met the Dietary Reference
Intake (DRI) of vitamin D of at least 600 IU per day, as compared with
men with daily intakes of less than 100 IU. Commenting on the potential
mechanism, the team posits that vitamin D may influence the
reninangiotensin system (linked to blood pressure regulation), function
of the endothelium (the cells lining blood vessels), insulin resistance,
and systemic inflammation. The authors conclude: "These
observations suggest that a higher intake of vitamin D is associated
with a lower risk of [cardiovascular disease] in men."

Among healthy men, a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement with
added plant extracts helps to boost alertness and feelings of
well-being. Andrew Pipingas and colleagues from Swinburne University
(Australia) enrolled 50 men, ages 50 to 69 years, in an 8-week-long
study. Each subject received either a multivitamin containing vitamins,
minerals, antioxidants, and plant extracts, or placebo. The team
measured mood and stress using a standardized assessment scale. After 8
weeks, among the participants receiving the vitamin supplement, a
notable decrease in measures of depression, anxiety, and stress was
observed. As well, among the vitamin supplemented group, significant
improvement in alertness was reported by the subjects. Observing an
"improvement in ... general daily functioning in the multivitamin
group," the study authors conclude: "Supplementation with a
multivitamin, mineral and herbal formulation may be useful in improving
alertness and reducing negative mood symptoms and may also improve
feelings of general day-to-day well-being."

Men who are physically fit in their 40s, and maintain that fitness
level for a decade, reduce their risk of all-cause death by 30%.
Duck-chul Lee and colleagues from the University of South Carolina at
Columbia (US) explored the independent and combined associations of
changes in fitness as estimated from a maximal treadmill test and BMI
with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. The team revealed
that men who were physically fit in their 40s, and maintained that
fitness level for a decade, reduced their risk of all-cause death by
30%--as compared with men who were flabby at age 40. Specifically,
during more than 11 years of follow-up, the researchers found that those
men who maintained their baseline fitness levels had a 28% lower risk of
cardiovascular disease death, while those who improved their fitness had
a 40% and 44% lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease death,
respectively, as compared with those who remained unfit. Whereas body
mass index (BMI) status had little impact on risk of death in those who
remained fit, BMI had variable yet nonsignificant impact on those who
lost fitness or were unfit at the study's start. For every
1-metabolic equivalent (MET) improvement in fitness, there was a 15%
lowering of the risk of all-cause death, and a 19% reduction in
cardiovascular disease death. Observing, "Maintaining or improving
fitness is associated with a lower risk of all-cause and [cardiovascular
disease] mortality in men," the study authors urge:
"Preventing age-associated fitness loss is important for longevity
regardless of [body mass index] change."

We encourage our male readers to adopt the hallmarks of the
anti-aging lifestyle. Namely, eat a healthful diet, stay physically
active, don't smoke, and get regular checkups and screenings.
Coupled with the nutritional approaches reviewed above, adopting the
anti-aging lifestyle will certainly help increase your ability to
achieve a long and robust life.

To stay updated on the latest breakthroughs in natural, nontoxic
approaches to curb inflammation, visit the World Health Network
(www.worldhealth.net), the official educational website of the A4M and
your one-stop resource for authoritative anti-aging information. Be sure
to sign up for the free Longevity Magazine e-journal, your weekly health
newsletter featuring wellness, prevention, and biotech advancements in
longevity.